The Day After

Lawrence O'Donnell just described the result of the election of Donald Trump as the decline of  American civilization.  This explains why an old college friend posted on facebook that the supporters of Hillary Clinton should be quiet and get over it.  That is why there are spontaneous organic protests in Oakland, CA, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City.
This election is not a typical election - O'Donnell is right - the results of this election reveal that our civilization is in decline.  It is not just the policies tht Trump espoused, it is his bigotry and the delivery of his message, his personal abuse of Hillary Clinton.  Hopefully this will be an aberration in American political history.
Of course, the Trump voters had legitimate concerns but their choice to address those concerns will be shown to be a scm unless Trump changes his course dramatically.  Considering Giuliani, Gingrich and Christie for major positions is not encouraging.
It is appalling to think that there is a civil protest against the results of a US Presidential election.  But it is because our civilization is in decline.

Election Results

The people have spoken.  The majority have been taken in by a scam artist.  As Michael Moore said, in a couple months, they will find out that he is a scam artist and then what?
Obama and Hillary said all the right things - unlike what the republican leadership said when Obama won in 2008 every day thereafter. 
But Hillary also said it's worth fighting for what you believe in.  We can't desert the causes and principles we value.
We can only hope that Trump figures out how to move the country forward responsibly.  "Make American Great Again" was a sogan for white dominance and bigotry of all sorts.  Did Trump know what he was doing?  Does he have a commitment to the worst that his slogan came to mean?  Does Trump really expect to move forward on all his vague, impossible to execute promises?
Or will he work to achieve a rational Presidency?
Only time will tell.  We will get hints as forms his government.

I ahd thought about discontinuing my blog after the election, but I guess not.

The Right to Vote

I saw this photo on the Washington Post.  Those are "I voted" stickers all over the grave of Susan B Anthony in Rochester, NY.  Let's remember her today - as we elect our first woman President.  I think about how much it meant to my grandmother to vote  up until her dying day at age 86.  She knew what it meant to actually get the opportunity to vote when she was already a mother of thirty-something.
But I haven't forgotten about Goodman Schwerner and Chaney or the Pettis Bridge.  (Forgive my spelling.)  African Americans fought and still fight to vote. 
But we might take another step forward tonight.
The country needs to put the lies behind us.  The difference in this election is that Trump tossed lies around like truth, ie., Clinton should be in jail, she would bring in millions of foreigners on day one, Clinton is sleeping away the campaign, she is ill and has no stamina and it goes on and on.  When Clinton talked about Trump's temperament and ability to be President, she told the truth.  Sure, I'm a liberal Democrat, but my observation is simple fact.  Trump lied, Clinton told the truth.
Friends have expressed the view that the Democrats and Clinton need to reach out to the Trump voters - the hard working white men who fear the loss of their livelihoods as the world moves forward, who resent others, women and people of color, who achieve in the evolving society.  I disagree, I think the democrats need to stand for their values - values that include affordable healthcare and college, rebuilding infrastructure, clean energy and the energy grid, among so much else.  Maybe if the Democrats get enough numerical strength they can overcome the fears of those left behind.
We might take a step forward tonight

Rally

What a night at Independence Hall !   Bon Jovi, Springstein, Bill Clinton, Mchelle Obama, President Obama and then Hillary.  I was standing behind Independence Hall, could her the audio but couldn't see anything.  A nice group gathered - it was as close as we could get.  Lots of young people and women, men of all ages, too, but lots of women.  Happy people.  I was there - maybe 3 Presidents in one event, we'll know about that tomorrow night.

Meanwile, Trump proposes his key cabinet officers - Gingrich for Secretary of State, Guiliani for attorney general, General Flynn for Defense Secretary and Rence Previs for Chief of Staff.  ll white older men.  Think about it - the Nine Wives Club.  Think of the limitations all have shown - Previs presiding over the disintegration of the Republican Party, Flynn, who sat in on Trump's security briefing and argued with the briefer.  Gingrich I so divisive nd is going to be our top diplomat?  and Guiliani who ahs been sounding insane on the campign circuit.  No people of color, no women.  That's Trump all over gain.  It is why he must be defeated

Why No Trump

Here's a link to Fareed Zakaria's op ed:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/06/opinions/fareeds-take-on-trump/index.html

I was interested because he headlined, "Trump is a cancer on American democracy".  I agree with this sentiment.  But I was disappointed in the limits of his conclusions.  I m obliged to add, perhaps more crucially, Trump does not display any indication of how the US Constitution direts the government.  His promise of how "I alone can fix it" ignores the US Constitution.  Trump does not respect the rule of law.  In addition to the pandering that Zakaria describes.